System, apparatus and method for removable lids

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to the system, apparatus and method for removable lids to enable users to install a lid to a container, and especially manufactured fiber (MF) containers and create a tamper resistant seal. In one embodiment of the present invention, the detachable lid includes a mounting member and a cover. A locking mechanism may be employed to secure the cover and mounting member to one another in a tamper resistant manner. The removable nature of the lid allows different types of material to be used when the lid and the container are manufactured together. For example, the lid may be made of a rigid material, while the container may be made from less expensive and more environmentally safe containers made from molded fiber and similar lightweight but less rigid biodegradable materials.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/849,743 filed May 17, 2019, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to tamper resistant lids. More particularly, this invention relates to secure closing and locking mechanisms for lids on portable containers for avoiding spills and avoiding unintentional unlocking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the system, apparatus and method for removable lids to enable users to install a lid to a container, and especially manufactured fiber (MF) containers and create a tamper resistant seal. The apparatus and system is capable of keeping the contents of the container from being spilled. In one embodiment of the present invention, the detachable lid includes a mounting member. The mounting member comprises a first inner opening and a first mating member extending around an outer edge of the mounting member. The mounting member is configured to receive any container having an outwardly extending peripheral lip through the first inner opening. The mounting member engages the outwardly extending lip when the container is placed within the mounting member's first inner opening. The detachable lid also includes a cover preferably attached to the mounting member with a hinge. The cover comprises a second mating member formed around an outer edge of the cover. The second mating member is configured to securely engage the first mating member of the mounting member. When the cover is pressed onto the mounting member, the first and second mating members engage one another, thereby creating a detachable seal on the opening of the container. A locking mechanism may then be employed to secure the cover and mounting member to one another in a tamper resistant manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference may now be had to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the top view of an exemplary embodiment of the tamper resistant lid.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the tamper resistant lid.

FIG. 3 illustrates another side view of an exemplary embodiment of the tamper resistant lid.

FIG. 4 illustrates the perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the tamper resistant lid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in relation to the figures. Persons having ordinary skill in the art will understand that use of the directional words such as up, down, left, and right, refers to the direction of the properly oriented figure, and it is not otherwise intended to be limiting.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The tamper resistant lid includes a mounting member and a cover. The tamper resistant lid can be used as a lid for any container that does not ordinarily have a lid. In particular, it is applicable to MF containers as used in the food service industry as in quick service restaurants as such MF containers do not have the rigidity required to support their own covers or tamper resistant mechanisms. In addition, the tamper resistant lid of this invention is detachable, and reusable with different containers. When engaged, the tamper resistant lid of the present invention creates a seal on the container and prevents the contents from spilling.

The mounting member in this exemplary embodiment is ring shaped with a central opening but could be rectangular, square, oval or any desired shape. In addition to the central opening for receiving the MF container, the mounting member includes a first upward mating protrusion or ridge extending around the outer edge or periphery of the mounting member. On an outer section of the mounting member, it also include a first tab for securing and detaching the cover. This tab may be used as a hand hold to remove the cover from mounting member.

The cover includes a second mating protrusion extending around the outer edge of the cover. The second mating protrusion is configured to engage the first mating member of the mounting member. When engaged, the mating protrusion and the first mating member create a seal to prevent the contents of a container from spilling. The cover also includes a second tab at the location corresponding to the first tab.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the mounting member and the cover are connected with a hinge that secures the two pieces together. In the preferred embodiment, the lid hinge can also be removed, so that the cover could be separated and re-used without the mounting member.

In alternative embodiments, however, the hinge may be omitted entirely, or replaced with a secondary tab pair to assist in securing the mounting member to the cover.

The present exemplary embodiment is ring shaped, and thus designed to be used with a round container. Containers may have an outwardly extending lip around the upper edge of the side wall. Other containers may have a tapered outer wall with no ridge. It is desirable for the container to include the outwardly extending lip. However, the tamper resistant lid of the present invention may be used with containers with a tapered outer wall.

The outwardly extending lip preferably has a diameter larger than the diameter of the central opening of the mounting member, and smaller than the diameter of the first mating member. This allows the mounting member to be engaged with the container and the cover at the same time.

A user places the bottom of the MF container through the central opening of the mounting member. The mounting member slides through the container until it engages the outwardly extending lip of the container. The user then places the cover over the mounting member. When the user presses the cover and the mounting member together with sufficient force, the first upward mating protrusion or ridge and the second mating protrusion engage. When engaged, the first mating member and the mating protrusion create a seal. The tamper resistant feature is that the cover has an internal, recessed fit into the mounting member. The mounting member and the cover, therefore, create a removable tamper resistant lid on a container that does not otherwise have a lid. To open the lid, the user can break the connection using the first and second tabs and pull the container out of the mounting member. In alternative embodiments that does not include the first and second locking tabs, the user may open the lid by breaking the seal between the mounting member and the cover.

The seal is intended to preclude the contents of the container from spilling. Thus, when a more spill prone material is carried in the container, a stronger seal is preferred. While in alternative embodiments a less secure seal may be used. For example, for containers intend to carry liquids, such as hot soup or pasta with liquid sauce, a stronger seal is preferred. However, when the contents of the container are only solid, a lesser seal may be sufficient. The different embodiments may use a stronger or lesser seal without deviating from the present invention.

In alternative embodiments, the mounting member and the cover may be in different shapes based on the shape of the container with which the tamper resistant lid will be used. For example, the mounting member and the cover may be rectangular, oval, square, or any other shape.

In alternative embodiments, the first mating member may extend partially around the outer edge of the mounting member without deviating from the present invention. However, such embodiments are generally not desirable as it may prevent a complete seal of the contents of the container.

The mounting member and the cover of the exemplary embodiment may be manufactured using any suitable material such as plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, or a combination thereof. Although less flexible materials, such as glass or ceramic, may be used to manufacture the mounting member and the cover without deviating from the invention, they are less desirable. Such material may be used with additional reinforcement, such as additional tabs, to secure the mounting member to the cover. They may also be used in combination with the more flexible material. For example in alternative embodiments, the outer section of the cover, including the mating protrusion, may be made from plastic while the central section may be made from glass.

The methods for manufacturing the temper resistant lid of the present invention is known in the prior art to the persons with ordinary skill in the art, and therefore will not be explained here.

FIGS. 2-4 show the exemplary embodiment of the present invention from other angles.

The present invention has several benefits over the prior art. First, the lid of the present invention may be used with different containers that do not ordinarily have a lid and allow the container and the lid to be reused. For example, a consumer visiting a food vendor may bring his or her container. The vendor, instead of providing both a lid and a new container, may provide only the lid. The consumer can use the lid provided to him by the vendor on his own container to keep the food from spilling in transit. Thus, it would reduce the plastic waste.

Second, the removable nature of the lid allows different types of material to be used when the lid and the container are manufactured together. For example, the container may be made from a microwave or oven safe material, while the lid can be made from cheaper alternatives to reduce material costs.

Third, the mounting member and the cover of the exemplary embodiment engage to each other, and lock the container in between them. This allows the lid of the present invention to be manufactured independent from the container that it is intended to be used. This eliminates the added complexity of creating a seal between the cover and the container.

Finally, the force applied to the outwardly extending lip of the container is sufficient to hold the mounting member and the cover in place. Thus, it removes the necessity of connecting the mounting member to the container itself and allows the use of less expensive and more environmentally safe containers made from molded fiber and similar lightweight but less rigid biodegradable materials.

Nothing in the above description is meant to limit the invention to any specific materials, geometry, or orientation of elements. Many par/orientation substitutions are contemplated within the scope of the invention and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments described herein were presented by way of example only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.

Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments in this application, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of the teachings herein, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of, or exceeding the scope of, the described invention. Accordingly, it is understood that the drawings and the descriptions herein are proffered only to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof. 

We claim:
 1. A system for preserving contents of a container, the system comprising: a. a mounting member comprising a first inner opening, and an first mating member extending on an outer edge of the mounting member; b. a cover attached to the mounting member with a hinge, wherein the cover comprising a mating protrusion on an outer edge of the cover configured to engage the first mating member of the mounting member; c. a container comprising an outwardly extending lip, a second inner opening, and a bottom wall, wherein the mounting member is configured to engage the outwardly extending lip; wherein the mounting member engages the outwardly extending lip when the bottom wall of the container is placed through the first inner opening of the mounting member, wherein the mating protrusion of the cover is configured to secure the cover to the mounting member when the cover is pressed against the mounting member, thereby sealing the second inner opening of the container.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mounting member and the cover include complimentary locking tabs which may be sealed together when the cover is secured on the mounting member to serve as a tamper resistant lock.
 3. A detachable lid comprising: a. a mounting member comprising a first inner opening and an first mating member extending on an outer edge of the mounting member, wherein the mounting member is configured to receive a container comprising an outwardly extending lip through the first inner opening, wherein the mounting member engages the outwardly extending lip when the container is placed into the mounting member's first inner opening; b. a cover attached to the mounting member with a hinge, wherein the cover comprising a mating protrusion on an outer edge of the cover, wherein the mating protrusion is configured to securely engage the first mating member of the mounting member, wherein when the cover is pressed on the mounting member, the mating protrusion engages the first mating member, thereby creating a detachable seal on the opening of the container.
 4. A method of mounting a detachable lid to a container, wherein the method comprising: a. receiving a container comprising an outwardly extending lip, a second inner opening, and a bottom wall, b. receiving a mounting member with a first inner opening, and an first mating member on an outer edge of the mounting member, wherein the mounting member is configured to engage the outwardly extending lip of the container; c. receiving a cover with a mating protrusion on an outer edge of the cover configured to engage the first mating member of the mounting member; d. placing the bottom wall of the container through the first inner opening of the mounting member, thereby engaging the outwardly extending lip of the container with the mounting ring; e. pressing the cover and the mounting member toward each other to engage the first mating member and the mating protrusion, and thereby secure the cover to the mounting member. 